So we all know hyaluronic acid to be the MVP of skincare—or, at least, that’s what you’ve read/heard/seen in every single article, commercial, and product description for the past year, right? (We get it, hyaluronic acid—YOU’RE POPULAR.) And although, yes, this little ingredient is usually the key to plump, glowing skin, it still needs to be used correctly or it could make your face sincerely unhappy. So if you have officially reached peak levels of confusion about WTF hyaluronic acid even is and how to use it, please allow us to explain everything you need to know about hyaluronic acid for skin and the correct way to use it in your skincare routine.
What does hyaluronic acid do for skin?
Hyaluronic acid (HA) is one of the most powerful hydrating ingredients used in skincare. It's is a humectant—meaning it pulls water from the environment to the upper layers of the skin like a sponge. Hyaluronic acid molecules can attract up to 1,000 times their own weight in water, which is why they're so effective at hydrating the skin and keeping it moist and dewy throughout the day. By increasing water content in the skin, hyaluronic acid can help plump the look of fine lines and wrinkles too.
Hyaluronic acid is also the go-to ingredient used in fillers (like lip injections). It works similarly when injected as it does when applied topically, binding to water in your body and making the skin plump up. The hyaluronic acid used in face fillers is cross-linked, meaning it comes in a gel form that holds it shape to help create volume and structure in the skin.
Which hyaluronic acid product is best?
You can find hyaluronic acid in tons of skincare products, but leave-on products (like toners, essences, serums, and moisturisers) will give you the best hydrating results. The most recommended is using a water or gel-based product with hyaluronic acid if you have oily skin an oil-based product with hyaluronic acid for dry skin. But if you’re using a straight-up serum, you absolutely need to layer it under a moisturiser and/or face oil (more on that below
Is it good to use hyaluronic acid every day?
Yup! Hyaluronic acid is safe and beneficial to use everyday for maintaining skin hydration. You just need to make sure you're applying it correctly. As a rule, you want to apply your hyaluronic acid product to clean, damp skin, and then lock it in with a moisturiser on top. If you are using a corrective serum put that on before your hyaluronic acid serum and then moisturise.
If you put hyaluronic acid on top of a sunscreen or a moisturizer, it’s not going to work, It’s got to sit on that top layer of your skin to hold the moisture in so it doesn’t evaporate from your skin barrier.
Might seem obvious, but it’s actually one of the biggest mistakes people with dry skin make with hyaluronic acid: thinking the only thing they need to use is a serum. Instead, think of hyaluronic acid as a team player that works best when used with a your favourite moisturiser. Even though hyaluronic acid holds water in the skin, a normal moisturiser that’s made for people with very dry skin has an emollient to lubricate the skin and an occlusive to hold the oils in the skin.
Is hyaluronic acid bad for your skin?
On the contrary! Hyaluronic acid is great for your skin—when used and applied correctly and in the right order. So remember;
- Don’t’ try to slather it on and use too much, your skin can only absorb so much, so all the extra is just a waste of product. For the summerbrons. Glow Drops, just add a few drops to your fingers and tap, then massage in like your serums or moisturisers. For the new summerbrons. Glow Mist just spritz 2-3 pumps onto your skin and wait a few seconds before adding your moisturiser.
- Also, remember what I said about using it on clean, damp skin and before moisturiser up above? The damp part is key. Here’s the deal: If your dry skin is sitting in a humid room and you slather on hyaluronic acid, it’ll pull moisture from the air and into your dry face. But—but!—if your moisturized skin is sitting in a dry room or windy dry spring air, the hyaluronic acid sitting on top of your face will pull water out of your skin and evaporate it into the air, leaving your face drier than before. When you apply your hyaluronic acid to damp skin, you've given it a water source to draw moisture from. If you don’t add that layer of moisturiser you’re not giving it all it needs to work it’s best – remember to lock it in for best results.
The takeaway
Overall, hyaluronic acid is great addition to your skincare routine and helping preventing moisture from being lost to the outside environment—but it’s not foolproof, so use it wisely. Always apply it to clean and damp skin, lock it in with a moisturiser, and consult your derm if you’re noticing anything unusual. But all in all, it’s a pretty helpful ingredient for skin hydration and what we need to make our self-tan last even longer.
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